Let’s start with perhaps your first big change, when you left Spain. How did the opportunity come about to leave Albacete and move to Widzew Lodz in Poland?
"Polish football had been following me for several years, ever since my time at Valencia-Mestalla. Looking at the bigger picture, after my season at Albacete, I only had one year left on my contract.
"In Poland, they were offering me a longer deal, and I felt ready, at the right age, to take on this experience abroad."
Why do you think Polish football was interested in you?
"I guess it was partly down to my physical attributes, my speed, and the way I play, always looking to get in behind the defenders. Here in Poland, football is a bit more open, there are usually more goals - at least when it’s not too cold, because when it is, matches are tough to play.
"But yes, I think my speed and physicality caught the eye of several Polish clubs. Also, Spanish players have done really well here in the past. These days, clubs in Poland are paying close attention to players from Primera RFEF or Segunda, as they can find good profiles and offer better conditions."
Adventure in Japan
After that first experience in Poland, you went to Sapporo in Japan. How did things go for you in Japan?
"Honestly, it didn’t go very well. I arrived with high expectations, even though Consadole Sapporo were already bottom of the table in K1 when I signed. Still, I had big personal hopes. But from the moment I arrived, things just didn’t go my way.
"The coach in my first year already had his starting XI and didn’t really count on me. Then in the second year, changes at the club’s top level and other issues meant I couldn’t keep enjoying such an interesting country, even though I was really well received by the fans and everyone there.
"But in football terms, it was a step back in my career."
Do you think Japanese football is very different from what you experienced in Europe?
"Yes, absolutely. I arrived expecting a high level of professionalism and organisation, but I found a lot of things that surprised me. The way they play and understand football is very different. There are a lot of mistakes, a lot of end-to-end action.
"We Spaniards are so used to tactics and taking care of the ball, so it’s a shock to see how often possession is lost in Japan, and physically, the games are very back and forth."
Return to Poland
From Japan, you returned to Poland, joining one of the most recognisable teams for Spanish fans, Wisla Krakow. How has your return to Polish football been?
"I’ve been here just over a month and I’m really happy, rediscovering those feelings I had before in this country, feeling very appreciated - the fans have welcomed me with open arms. Since I already knew the country and had been treated so well before, I’m delighted to be back.
"I’m eager to get more minutes, to contribute more to the team, and I hope we can win promotion, because a historic club like Wisla belongs in the Ekstraklasa, and we’ll fight for that."
How has it been adapting to two such different countries? You’ve already talked a bit about football in Japan, but what about life in general for someone coming from far away? And what about Poland, which obviously has its differences too?
"It all depends on your attitude, but the difference is huge when you go to Japan, much more so than coming here to Poland. Poland might seem very different from Spain culturally, but it’s not really. There are a lot more similarities than you’d think, apart from the cold.
"Everything else is quite similar to Spain; there are some differences, but nothing like Japan, where everything is based on super strict rules. People have their customs, for better or worse, but yes, they’re very different.
"Still, it all comes down to how you approach things. Personally, I adapted well. The only problem was on the football side; everything else was a great experience, and I’d do it again without hesitation."
You’ve mentioned it already, but do you miss the Spanish weather?
"Yes, absolutely. When people talk about Spain, it’s always about the good weather and the great food, and even though Japan has its own cuisine, I ended up living in a very, very cold city - Sapporo. So yes, I really, really miss the weather and the food."
On Albacete, Castellon and Valencia
Your last team in Spain, Albacete, have surprised many this year in the cup, knocking out Celta and Madrid, and putting up a fight against Barcelona. How do you see your former team’s season overall?
"I really enjoy following them, and I think it’s been a bit inconsistent, especially considering the cup run, which can be a distraction for a Segunda team. But I think the club has been doing things right for years now, with a clear philosophy and solid foundations.
"Segunda is such a long league, so we’ll see what happens, but if they can string a couple of wins together, maybe they can aim for something special.
"I think they’re a very solid team, but when you’re mid-table, it can feel like you’re not fighting for anything, and things can either get complicated or you can push upwards. So I hope they can get a couple of wins and start looking up instead of down."
You mentioned that Albacete have been doing things right in recent years. You were part of the team that won promotion to Segunda. What did that mean for the city and the club?
"For the city, I think it was a real turning point, because it felt like a year of disappointment - not getting promoted directly, especially for a team just relegated to Primera RFEF, in the first year of that division.
"Not going up straight away could have meant getting stuck there, but the way we won promotion was a real boost for the team and the fans, who have been really behind the club ever since. It’s a city that lives and breathes football, people love going to the stadium, so that match changed a lot of things for the better.
"It’s great to see the stadium full, and in those games against Barça and Madrid, the Belmonte was packed. Hopefully, it’ll be just as full for league matches too."
Now, looking back at your time in the Valencia academy, what do you think of the club’s current situation?
"It’s a real shame. In my last two years with the reserves, at Mestalla, I had the chance to train with the first team under Marcelino - the last Valencia side to play in the Champions League.
It’s sad because the fans, the city, the stadium - Mestalla, even though they’re building a new one - has that aura and magic, and they deserve big European nights.
"Let’s hope things get sorted out, not just now, but it should have been sorted years ago. Hopefully, a solution will come soon, and we can see Valencia fighting for what they deserve, not just struggling as they have been lately."
You also played for another in-form Segunda team, Castellon. What memories do you have from your time with the ‘orellut’?
"I always say it’s a bit of a regret for me, because I think I would have really connected with a full Castalia, but I was there during the COVID year, when stadiums were empty and there were no fans. I think that made it harder for me to settle in, and it was a season where squads were bigger, and there was a big gap between the veterans from the previous year and the new players.
"We had a lot of talented players like Fidalgo or Carrillo, who didn’t get the chances they deserved, in my opinion, and things didn’t really go well for us that year. But above all, I regret not being able to enjoy Castalia and that season to the fullest.
"I’m really happy to see them doing well now, because the city and the club are a lot like Valencia - full of history, passionate fans, a stadium that’s almost always full. I’m glad things are going well for them, and I wish it had gone better during my time there, too."
Do you see the team getting promoted to Primera, now that they’re in the top two?
"Yes, definitely. As I said before, Segunda is a long season, but with captain Alberto Jimenez leading the team, that really helps. Players like him always give you something extra, help keep things stable when the mental side gets tough, because Segunda can be mentally exhausting.
"So with that experience and quality, I’m sure they’ll stay up there - hopefully with direct promotion, but if not, then through the play-offs. They have enough mature players to handle it and take the team to Primera, and I’d love to see that."
Wisla Krakow and personal goals
Now, talking about your current team, Wisla, the oldest club in Poland, and as we mentioned, currently in Segunda and leading the table - do you feel there’s pressure at the club to get promoted?
"I think this year, yes, because it’s been four seasons in Segunda now, and with the gap we have over second place, the way the team is playing, and the fans fully behind us, I wouldn’t say it’s pressure, but it definitely feels like this has to be the year, given how things are going and how well the team is doing.
Have people told you about the ‘Holy War’ in Krakow, the city derby?
"Yes, I won’t get to experience it this season, but hopefully next year I will. I did play in a pretty intense and heated derby in Lodz with my previous club, and it went well for me - I scored in both matches.
"So hopefully next year, if we’re in the top division, I can play in the Krakow derby and have the same luck as I did in Lodz."
Even though you already had experience in Polish football, has it helped to have other Spanish players like Angel Rodado and Marc Carbo in the team?
"Yes, absolutely. I actually played with Angel eight years ago at Ibiza in Segunda B, and we’ve always had a great relationship. When he signed here, I was able to give him some advice because I’d already been in Poland a couple of months longer than him at Widzew.
"He arrived at Wisla a bit - well, not lost, but still adapting. Now he’s a superstar here, a club legend, scoring loads of goals for years. I’ve come here to contribute and help. Marc and Angel have helped me a lot; I feel like one of the group thanks to them, and we have a great squad.
"And not just them - over the years, there have been a lot of Spaniards at the club, and they all welcomed me straight away. We help each other out, and if I need anything, I know I can count on them. Everyone’s been great, but having Spanish teammates in the dressing room really helps."
How would you describe your first experiences with Wisla, both on and off the pitch?
"On the pitch, I’m eager to get more involved, to have a clear chance to give the fans something to cheer about. Off the pitch, the fans have been fantastic. In Poland, there are a lot of friendships between fanbases, and Wisla Krakow is actually twinned with Widzew Lodz, my previous club.
"From the moment I signed, the fans had high expectations because of what I’d already done in the top division. And when there are expectations, you have to deliver. I hope I can do that, help the team, and bring plenty of joy in these last 13 games."
What would you say is the biggest difference between Polish football and the other leagues and teams you’ve played in?
"Above all, it’s the physical side. Tactically, football is getting more and more similar across Europe. As I said before, Japan is a different world, but in Europe, the leagues are getting closer in terms of tactics.
"For example, Jagiellonia have been in Europe for several years, and last year they reached the semi-finals against Betis, if I remember right. So tactically, things are much more even, but here, if you’re not physically strong, it’s hard to adapt.
"With the cold, constant gym sessions, training sessions lasting over two hours, sub-zero temperatures... It’s mainly the physical demands and coping with the weather that are very different from what I’d known before, and it’s really tough."
As we’ve said, Wisla is a historic club known by generations of fans across Europe. Have you noticed that at the club, even though they’ve been in Segunda for several seasons?
"Yes, absolutely. It’s not lacking anything compared to any current top-flight club - if anything, it’s the opposite. I remember my first day in Krakow, we had a club event and spent about five hours signing autographs and taking photos with fans who just kept coming.
"That’s for a team in Segunda, a historic club, and it says a lot about the fans - they’re totally behind the team. I’ve been told that this year, the support is even stronger, because when things are going well and promotion feels real, people get even more involved.
"You can really feel it’s a big, historic club, and we’re all desperate to get promoted and make it even bigger and more historic."
Would you say the part of your game that’s improved most since leaving Spain is your physicality - your speed, your movement into space?
"That’s always been one of my strengths, but in Spain, with everything being so tactical and so many tight games, always playing possession football - especially with the teams and coaches I had - I couldn’t always make the most of it.
"I had to develop other skills, which have helped me become a more versatile player. But here in Poland, I’ve been able to use my speed much more. Here, defenders press more man-to-man, with a higher line, so I’ve had more chances to run in behind, which I didn’t get as much in Spain.
"Now, that’s probably the standout part of my game, because I can use it more."
Do you have any personal goals for the rest of the season?
"I signed a short contract, just until the end of the season with Wisla, and my goal is to do well enough for the club to renew me and for us to win promotion together, so I can play here in the Ekstraklasa next year. That’s my short-term goal, and I’ll fight for it until the end."
Would you like to send a message to the fans who support the team every week?
"First of all, I want to thank them for the welcome they’ve given me, and secondly, I want to say that Jordi Sanchez will give his all to bring them joy and help take Wisla to the Ekstraklasa."
I don’t know if you’ve had enough time in Poland to get a sense of the atmosphere around the national team, with Jan Urban as coach and Robert Lewandowski as the star, ahead of the World Cup playoff...
"Not really. When I was here, there was already a lot of talk about Lewandowski, especially when he joined Barcelona. He’s always in the spotlight, not just in football but as a hugely influential figure in the country - you see him everywhere, in supermarkets, shopping centres, everywhere.
"Football is lived very differently here compared to Spain; the fans are much more passionate, much more demanding, more focused on results, even more so than in Spain.
"So all eyes will be on the national team, and looking back, I think people will expect them to reach the final stage of the World Cup, no doubt about it."